1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to teething devices. More specifically, it relates to a refillable water-cooled multi-lobed teething device for teething infants.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Teething is the process by which a human infant's deciduous teeth emerge through the gums. To facilitate teething and exercise jaws, gums, and teeth, infants are often given teething devices. The teething devices are generally made of a flexible, resiliently deformable plastic or rubber material, thereby allowing the infant to bite on the device without risking an injury.
Teething may cause a fair amount of pain and discomfort to the infant. To alleviate the pain, teething devices may be cooled to provide a numbing and soothing sensation during the bite. Several teething devices known in the art—such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,344—are at least partially filled with liquid, which may be cooled by placing the device in the refrigerator. The liquid is permanently contained within a receptacle of the teething device intended for insertion into the infant's mouth. As the infant uses the device, the heat from the infant's gums and mouth transfers to the liquid by means of conduction, thereby increasing the temperature of the liquid. After some time passes, the device must be placed again into the fridge or another cold environment to cool the liquid.
One major disadvantage of a cooling teething device that permanently contains a liquid therein is that the only way to cool the device is by subjecting the device to cold temperatures for a prolonged period of time. Accordingly, the use of the device must be periodically discontinued, and the infant must wait until the device regains the predetermined cold temperature. During this hiatus, the feelings of pain and discomfort associated with teething may return. Furthermore, the device that permanently contains a liquid requires a refrigerator or another cold environment to cool the liquid. This shortcoming makes this class of devices ill-suited for car travel and other environments outside of one's home.
Accordingly, what is needed is a teething device that can be periodically refilled with a cold liquid, thereby eliminating a requirement for the device to be placed in a cold environment for a predetermined period of time prior to each use.